I Know You - You Know Me
by CBloom2
Summary: Another little one shot about the ongoing storyline involving the brothers. Possible spoilers if you look hard enough.


**So here's another little offering about Ethan finding out about Cal. It's not going to be dramatic or full of tears or any arguments, although there may be a few tears. Hope you like it.**

 **Usual disclaimer, don't own anyone you recognise etc**

I Know You...You Know Me

The pain was good. It made him forget...

Cal massaged his throbbing hand, thankful that he hadn't broken it when he had punched the metal railing. It had been a stupid thing to do, he knew, but he was so distraught at that moment that nothing made sense anymore. His phone vibrated, alerting him to an incoming message _I've been waiting for you, Charlie told me you'd gone home. I'm on my way - we'll talk. Hope you're ok - Eth._

Cal shut it off and threw it onto the sofa - Ethan, what was he going to say to him about what he had found out? Perhaps he could not tell him and just let him keep thinking that everything that had happened with Matilda was sending him into this pit that he felt he was in. How had his life managed to go so pear shaped in such a short time? He had been feeling really good about himself a few weeks ago. Things seemed to be going great. He was getting on well with Ethan, they'd sorted out the mess that Taylor had left them, Ethan had forgiven him, again and everything was back on track...until Taylor turned up out of the blue with a baby in tow - his baby - only it turned out that she wasn't his, even though he had fallen head over heels in love with her. He had had to make the terribly hard decision to get social services involved, so in effect he lost her. But that wasn't the worst of it...

His attention was caught by the sound of the key in the door.

"Cal? You in?" Ethan called as he gently opened the door to the living area, "Why are you in the dark?" he asked as he stepped over Cal's coat the turn on a table lamp.

"I prefer the dark sometimes," he told him miserably, as he ran a hand through his hair. He winced as he realised that it was his damamged hand that he had used. Ethan's brow furrowed, "Let me look at that," he asked softly, taking the injured hand in his own to examine it, "Does it hurt?" he asked as he gently moved the fingers, stopping when he felt his brother tense.

"Only when you move it," Cal tried to make light, "What do you fancy for dinner?" he tried to change the subject, hoping to put off the inevitable questions.

Ethan sighed, knowing that his brother was changing the subject, "Let me fix something - you've obviously had a trying day, why don't you go and have a soak while I prepare it?"

The older man glanced at the younger man, tears beginning to form in his eyes when he noticed how concerned for him Ethan really was. He nodded hastily, "I think I will, thanks Ethan."

About forty five minutes later, Cal dragged himself out of the relaxing bath and made his way back to the living room. The aroma floating out of the kitchen was amazing, "Something smells good," he commented, smiling a little at Ethan's startled face as he whirled round to face him. Ethan handed Cal glasses and cutlery to set the table. Within a few minutes, the two young doctors were sat, tucking into their dinner, "You even used those minature potatoes that I love," Cal mentioned happily.

"I knew you liked them - you forget, I know what you're like..." Ethan left the sentence hanging - Cal knew what was coming next.

Sure enought, Ethan took a large mouthful of wine before setting it down carefully, "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Cal could feel his brother's eyes boring into him, daring him to make the usual comments. He laid down his knife and fork and dragged in a deep breath, "I don't really know how to say this," he told him honestly.

"How about just start from the beginning? Hang on,this doesn't involve money again does it?" Ethan felt a icy cold feeling in his stomach.

Cal shook his head, smiling wistfully, "If only it were that simple..."

Ethan paled, "Caleb, you're actually starting to scare me a bit - what's so hard to tell me?"

Cal once again felt his eyes sting at seeing his brother so worried about him, "You remember when I did the paternity test?"

Ethan nodded sadly, "I remember it well."

"Well, not only did it tell me that I wasn't Matilda's father, it showed up something else..."

"Oh my god - are you ill? Do you have cancer or something? If you need anything from me, it's yours, you do know that don't you? Bone marrow, anything..." Ethan babbled nervously.

Cal shook his head, "No, Ethan, it's nothing like that," he couldn't help but melt a little when he saw his brother relax with relief, "I saw that my blood group was O..." he trailed off as he watched the younger doctor for a reaction.

"RIght, so your blood group is O...nothing wrong with that, millions of people have that blood group..." he really didn't get what was so wrong.

"Mum's was AB," was all Cal said. He saw the moment that the penny dropped as Ethan's concentrated frown morphed into pure shock.

"That can't be right - if mum's was AB, yours can't be O..."

"We checked. That time you walked in on me and Charlie doing a blood test, it was to check the results were right...and they were."

"If mum was AB and you're O, that means..." Ethan actually looked nauseous now.

"That I'm not your brother - or at least, not her son," he sat back, thankful to have gotten that off his chest, but now dreading the reaction.

Ethan jumped to his feet, mumbling to himself like he always did when he couldn't work something out. He was running his hand through his hair as he chewed on the thumb nail of the opposite hand, "And you're sure about this?"

He wanted Cal to tell him that it was one big joke, just winding him up, but Cal's face was deadly serious.

"Yes - like I said we checked it."

"So what happens now?" Ethan seemed calm, to calm.

"Charlie has got a contact in the adoption department, so..."

"You're looking for your birth mother?" Ethan looked surprised.

"Yes I am. I've thought hard about it. I just need answers Ethan, to who I am. I know this may sound stupid, but I've never really known who I am, what my purpose is...maybe this is why. Didn't you know...about me being adopted?"

Ethan sat back down with a deep sigh, "Not a thing. Not even when she was sick did she say anything...I can't believe it..."

"Join the club. I've been a bit of a wreck since I found out - if it hadn't been for Charlie..."

Ethan winced as if he'd been stabbed in the heart knowing that his brother hadn't felt like he could have turned to him in his time of need.

"Ethan - are you alright?" Cal had noticed the effect what he had said had had on Ethan.

"You could have come to me," the younger man almost whispered.

"I know I could've Ethan, but I just couldn't. It hurt to find out that the person I had called mum all my life actually wasn't my mum after all, but actually what was killing me was...the fear of losing you," he choked on the last few words.

"You won't lose me," Ethan mumbled as he picked up the plates to take back to the kitchen.

Cal stayed seated at the table, confused as to why when they were finally talking about everything, that Ethan felt the need to start tidying up. Presently he began to understand when he heard sobbing coming from the kitchen.

He quietly made his way to the kitchen to find Ethan gripping onto the worktop edges so hard it was making his hands go white, as he desperately tried to control himself. Cal felt sick. He hadn't wanted to upset his brother. He strode over to him and pulled him into an embrace as Ethan struggled to keep his emotions in check.

"I'm sorry Caleb," he mumbled into his shoulder, "I'm being very stupid..."  
"No you're not. At least you didn't try to break your hand by having it out with a railing..." he tried to make light, which worked to a point.

"I'm just being selfish," the younger man told him.

"Ethan you are least selfish person I know..."

"I just can't believe you went through all that and never told me. I would have helped you or at least tried to..."

"I know you would have, but I suppose if I actually told you, then it would have been real."

"It is real Cal. If you find your mother, what will you do? Will you go and live with her or something?" Ethan had pulled himself out of the embrace by now but was not looking at his brother.

"I...er...I hadn't thought that far ahead," Cal told him honestly.

"Well whatever you do I will support you, but..."

"But what?" Cal had an awful feeling that Ethan was going to ask him to leave.

"You're the only person who really 'gets me' - whether you like it or not you are - because we're brothers, always have been, always will be I hope. I don't want to lose you to someone else Caleb. Even though we've had our ups and downs, I can't bear the thought of not having you in my life Cal..." Ethan rubbed his hands over his face, "Look at me - it's all me, me, me and it should be about you..."

"You're not going to lose me Eth, not by my hand anyway. Like you say, I know you and, well you know me too, because we are brothers and that's how I want it to stay, if you'll have me?"

Ethan chuckled as relief poured through him, "I suppose I can put up with you until you find yourself a wife!"  
Cal laughed the first hearty laugh in a long time, "I wouldn't hold your breath just now Nibbles."

Ethan's breath caught at the use of his nickname, " And don't keep me in the dark from now on - let me help."

"Definitely!"

 **Well, now I've written it, I'm not that impressed with it, but I will post it anyway. I wonder if we are actually going to get any Ethan stuff regarding this storyline in the show. It'll probably end up with Cal telling him and Ethan will be like "Oh right, that's a surprise..." and we'll hear nothing more! Fingers crossed that I'm totally wrong though. Let me know what you think and if you've got any ideas that you might like writing, let me know, I've got two weeks holiday after Friday, so may have a bit of time for writing.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


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